Washing machine



June .18, 1935 c. T. CHILDERS WASHING MACHINE Filed Maro 29, 1954 x I I I" `Patented June 18, 1935 l v if UNITEDS'I'llTES PPIENI OFFICE weer' M f WAsHrNG MACHINE s n charles T. chiiaesaiesburg. 1111'. Application March 29,1934. seriai'Naaisocc '4 claims. (o1. ca -19)* This invention relates to washing machines and Whose length is preferably somewhat less than more particularly vto washingfmachines of' the the inside diameter ofthe tubgis-adaptedl-t'o be fpounder type. supported vby its opposite ends resting uponthe An object of the invention is to provide a washvledges vii at a selected height whereby .the height l ing machine ofv the type referred to having anovel of the -frame member 9 'maybe variedainnac-A 1 5 operating mechanism so arranged and constructed Cordance with the size lof the"was h,^i.v e., `the asto provide a greater mechanical operating amount of clothes or other material in the tub. advantage as the washer element approaches the Pins l IIl---IIIl passing` hrough A registering openend of.` the up stroke than 'during the first part ings in the lugsg'landand the ends 0f vthe frame of the-up stroke, thereby facilitating lifting of member 91 serve to maintain the latter against .the element. l g f j `accidental displacement.v By ,reason of the ledges Another object is to provide a washer having Vextending inwardly beyond the inner surfaceof operating mechanism of the kind referred to and the tub andthe length of the frame member 9 including means foreiecting rotary movement .beingless than the inside diameter 0f `thetull?,

l5 of the pounder duringreciprocation thereof. Lthe frame member may easily be laid flat in the l5 A further objectis to provide a washing `rnabottom ofthe tub for shipment or` storage. The chine of the character referred to having'novel supporting members 91150 may' be remOVed and and improved means for adjustably supporting rstored within the tub. Y f

`a mechanism frame `at different .heightsI above l The vframe member `il is provided with a boss the tub in accordance with the amountof material IllEL bored toiform agude for a vertically recipro- 20 beingwashed.` y v 3 cable staff II on the lower end of which is res Other and more pecic objects will become movably mounted a three armed Spider VWhiCh apparent from a reading of the following descripmay` be heldin position on the staff by any suittion, the appended claims, and the accompanying able means such as a cotterpin I3. Suction cup drawing, in which: pounder elements I4 are removably secured re- 25 Figure 1 is a top plan view of a Washing ma,- 'spectively to each arm of the spider by means chine embodying the invention; such as wing nuts I5. The upper end of the staff Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on I2 is formed with a slot I6 in which is positioned the line 2-2 of Figure 1; a roller I1 journalled on apin I8 extending across 3o Figure 3 is a detail top plan view of a suction the slot, the roller being located somewhat above cup supporting spider; and the bottom of the slot so as to provide a space Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the between the bottom of the roller and the bottom line 4-4 of Figure 2 and drawn on an enlarged of the slot. It will be observed that the roller scale. is substantially flush with the sides of the slot My invention may be embodied in either power so that the roller-equipped end of the staff may 3 operated or manually operated Washing machines, be withdrawn from the guide to permit disasand for the purpose of illustration is shown as sembling and packing of the staff, the spider, being embodied in a washing machine comprisand the suction cups within the tub. ing a tub A, a pounder or washing element gen- It is apparent that when in use the degree of 40 erally designated B, and manually operable mechvacuum in the suction cups I4 will increase as 4 anism generally designated C for eifecting workthe Spider and Cups are raised from their 10Wer ing movements of the pounder B. to their upper positions, the vacuum being great- The tub A may be supported by any suitable est just as the suction cups approach theirupmeans as by spaced members I and preferably is permost positions. Consequently the force reequipped with a removable drain fitting 2 adapted quired to lift the suction cups will become greater to be closed bya stopper 3. as the oups ascend. In order to obtain easy Supporting members 4--4 are removably sevoperation without unduly sacrificing speedI pro-v cured to the tub at diametrically opposed points yvide operating mechanism adapted to provide a by means of bolts 5. Each supporting member greater mechanical operating advantage toward 4 is provided with a plurality of superposed the end of alifting stroke than at the beginning 5 ledges 6 which extend inwardly considerably bethereof. f yond the inner surface of the tub side walls and In the form shown I provide a vertically exwith upper and lower lugs 'I and 8 respectively tending bifurcated bracket I9 secured as at 20 which extend inwardly beyond the ledges 6. to the frame member 9 adjacent the boss IOP- A mechanism supporting frame member 9 An operating lever 2l is pivoted as at 22 to the 5 bracket I9, one arm 23 of the lever being adapted for manual or power operation and the other arm 24 being curved and extending through the slot I 6 below the roller I l. The surface 25 of the arm 24 constitutes a cam surface engageable with the roller which acts as a follower so that when the operating lever is moved in a counter clockwise direction the staff and pounder assembly will be raised, and vice versa. The shape of the cam surface25 is such that the mechanical advantage of the operating lever increases progressively as the staff and suction cups are raised.

In order to obtain the most efficient operation,

the position of the suction cups shouldgbe shifted horizontally to a small extent at the end o1' each suction stroke. To this end I provide a plurality of recesses 26 in the upper f ace of the spider l2 disposed in a circle about the staff Il and a pawl 2l pivoted as at 28 on the frame member 9, the nose of the pawl being adapted to engage in the recesses 26 i successively when the spider ap'- 'proaclie'sl` the endr of suction strokes.' Continued 'upward movement oi the spider moves the pawl towards. horizontal position, thenose of the pawl movingito the left as viewed in Figure 2, whereby 'the spider and suction cups will be rotated `through a small angle.

It will be apparent that a washing machine constructed in accordance.' with my invention embodies' the advantages of simple and inexpensive construction and ease of operation. A further advan'tage is that all parts other than the tub itself may easily be removed and conveniently packed within the tubwforshipment or storage. 'I'he washer shown in the drawing embodiesthe invention in practical and the atvpresent preferred form but it will be understood that various changes may be made in the specific construction `and relative arrangement of the parts without departingfrom the inventionas defined in the claims. i

Iclaim': v y y 1. In a. washer, the combination of a suction cup washer element, meansmounting'said element for vertical reciprocating movement; an operating member; and cam and follower connections between said member and said means, the control of the operating face of the cam being such as to eifect a greater mechanical driving advantage nearing the upper end of a suction creating stroke than at the beginning thereof.

2. In a. washer, the combination of a suction cup washer element, means mounting said element for vertical reciprocating movement; an operating member; and connections between said member and said means adapted to eifect a greater mechanical driving advantage nearing the upper end of a suction creating stroke than at the beginning thereof, said connections including acam movable with said operating member, and a follower connected to said Washer element and engaging said cam.

3. In a washer, the combination of a frame member formed with a guide; a staff mounted for vertical reciprocatory movements in said guide and extending through and beyond opposite ends thereof; a washer element mounted on one end of said staff for'swivelling movements relative to the staff, there being a slot formed in the other end of the staff; a roller mounted for rotation in said slot; and an operating lever pivoted to said frame member and having one of its ends formed as a cam, the cam extending through the slot in said staff and engaging said roller.

fi. In a washer, the combination of a tub; companion supporting means secured to the tub on opposite sides thereof and being formed with a plurality of superposed horizontal ledges; a frame the opposite ends of which are adapted to be supported on said ledges of the respective supporting meansV to vary the height of the frame above water in the tub, the frame and said supporting means being provided with registering openings; pins extending through said openings for pre-'- venting accidental displacement of said frame; and washing mechanism mounted on said frame.

CHARLES T. CHILDERS. 

